Rings, Shoes, & Details 

Time Recommended: at least 30 minutes
Best Time of Day: preferably in the morning

Think about all the time you are putting into planning and creating your special details, you are most likely going to want to schedule time to allow for some good photos of them. Many people want photos of just the dress hanging somewhere outside or nearby, or by itself somewhere in the hotel room. These photos take time than you'd expect.  Getting the right photo takes time... moving the dress and photography gear around to find the just the right spot for the photo. If this is an important photo to you, make sure to allow for additional time.

“Getting Ready” Photos Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Wedding Photography

Time Recommended: at least 45 minutes
Best Time of Day: preferably in the morning 

Examples include photos of makeup and/or hair being done and/or getting into your wedding day dress/suit/attire. 

Destination Wedding Photographer - Vermont

Individual Portraits

Time Recommended: 1 hour 
Best Time of Day: morning or early afternoon

Individual portraits are often favorites of my couples and they are absolutely my favorite photos to take. I recommend portraits near a well lit window in a hotel suite or decorative room. It is always nice spend extra time around a hotel lobby, garden, or other nearby location. The more time for these photos the better!

First Look

Time Recommended: 30 minutes
Best Time of Day: morning or early afternoon

You will need at least 30 minutes if you just want a first look. If you want any additional portrait(s) after the first look, plan at least an hour. This moment is when you see each other for the first time on your wedding day. If you want a nice and relaxed looking, you won’t want to be in a rush.

Wedding Party Photos

Time Recommended: at least 45 minutes
Best Time of Day: morning or afternoon

Time permitting, I do my best to capture classic and creative wedding party photos. Like with the other shots, time is of the essence, so I recommend setting aside an hour for these photos. If you are interested in photographs of individual members of the wedding party, this is usually the best time to take them.

Ceremony Detail and Venue Shot

Time Recommended: 30 minutes
Best Time of Day: when there are no guests or vendors in the area but after all the setup has been completed.

Formals (Extended Family, Immediate Family, and Friends)

Time Recommended: 1 hour
Best Time of Day: Early afternoon or after the ceremony

Wrangling up family members can take some work...which means it takes time. I always recommend the couple select at least one person on each side of the family to help as wedding day “wrangler” of family members. Assigning a point person that that knows names and faces helps ensure we include everyone you want to be included in the photos. This person can also be helpful mixing and matching family members in each photo to create a variety of looks. You can plan on about 5 minutes per group, so time adds up fast for multiple groups. If you are interested in 10 photos with 6 different groups of people in the photo, plan on 60 minutes.

Couples Session
Time Recommended: 1 hour
Best Time of Day: 45 minutes before sunset

99% of the time these are the photos that you are going to remember and cherish the most. Plus, they are incredibly FUN to take! You might notice a theme by now, time is important. A couples session requires time, but the best photos require the proper timing. The correct time of day makes a huge impact on available light and often affects what scenic shots we can capture. Like most couples, you have most likely chosen your special venue because of the environment or location, so we want to make sure we capture you, at that venue, in the best light possible.

Reception Detail and Venue Photos

Time Recommended: 30 minutes
Best Time of Day: early evening before sunset if possible.

This is the only opportunity I will have to take the photos of the reception area. I know a lot of time gets put into the décor and details here so you will want to make sure to leave time for these photos. It is best that no guests nor vendors are in the area at this time.

Couples Session During Reception

Time Recommended: 30 minutes
Best Time of Day: during the reception (at night)

Many venues have areas with areas and decor that I can incorporate into a great portrait of the two of you at night. This is really the only time to take capture this memory, and often becomes the couples favorite photo.

Table Visit Photos (Upon Request)

Time Recommended: 1 hour
Best Time of Day: during reception

Snapping a photo with each of your guests at their table is a good way to include most of your guests in a photo with you. You'll want to budget about 5 minutes per table to get the shot you are hoping for. This translates to about an hour to cover 10 tables.